Chennai send Mumbai Indians crashing to their 2nd defeat

Super Kings needed divine help if they had to beat the table leaders and they got that in the form of the extremely hot weather in Chennai which forced Sachin to retire due to dehydration. Once he was off the field Mumbai Indians collapsed losing 6 wickets for 28 runs in 32 balls. As a result they lost the match by 24 runs, only their 2nd in 9 games. With this win Chennai have kept their hopes alive to reach the semi-finals having accumulated 10 points in as many games.

Mumbai Indians Innings

Mumbai Indians got off to a steady start as both the openers Shikhar Dhawan and Sachin maneuvered the ball to all parts of the ground and made sure they didn’t lose any wicket in the powerplay. They had accumulated 46 runs in the first 6 overs. Against the run of play Thushara got a wicket of his first ball when Dhawan tried to cut a full ball but only managed to drag it onto his stumps. Everything looked good for Mumbai until the beginning of 10th over when Sachin decided to retire due to dehydration. Superkings then capitalized on Sachin’s absence as the following batsmen played some rash shots giving Chennai a wicket every over for the next 6 overs. Form 62/1 in 9 they were reduced to 92/7 in 15. Sachin would have been hoping that he won’t have to come back and bat but he had no other option but to come out when Mclaren was the 7th man out. However Thushara signaled the end to his innings in the 17th over. Harbhajan played a little cameo getting 33 from 23 but then it was too late for the Mumbai Indians. PHOTOS

Chennai Superkings Innings

Earlier in the day Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first. Murali sat out of the game and Hussey would be playing his first game. For Mumbai Indians Abu Nachim came in for the unfit Zaheer. Vijay the star of the last match that Chennai had played against the royals was the first man to go when he dangerously tried to cut a ball from harbhajan in the 4th over. Raina came in and tried playing his shots as usual but he was done in by a short ball from Bravo to be dismissed for 23. Superkings were cruising at 111/2 in 13 overs but both Dhoni and Hayden well set to destroy the Mumbai attack but Pollard dented the innings by dismissing both of them in consecutive balls. Hussey and Badrinath carried their bat through to ensure that Superkings got to a decent score of 165. PHOTOS